When folks in SoCal find out that I grew up across the country, they always ask how I'm adjusting to life in LA. My standard answer is that for the most part, it isn't that different: there are office buildings, houses, grocery stores, strip malls, interstates, grass, and McDonald's just like any other city. But it also different than the southeast in very subtle ways: skyscrapers are everywhere; houses have tile roofs; grocery stores are named something else and sometimes carry unfamiliar brands; interstates go by numbers and names; I can't identify any of the native flora; and Del Taco and In and Out dominate. Speaking of fast food that is different...
Saturday night after a lovely birthday party for Mike's twin cousins in Orange County (thanks Jen, Candi and Phil for hosting another wonderful gathering of family and friends!) I received a special treat from home. My favorite fast food restaurant has a small handful of franchises in Southern California and we were so close to one last night that we just had to stop. Chick-fil-A (which didn't invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich) was established in suburban Atlanta in the '60's and was a mainstay of my fast food diet throughout middle and high school. I always order the #1 meal: the original chicken sandwich with two crucial pickles, waffle fries which I dip into my ketchup/mayo mix, and a lemonade that makes your cheeks pucker. While I definitely romanticized the meal, the experience didn't disappoint. The soft buttery bun, fried chicken and pulpy lemonade took me back to Georgia for a sweet southern moment.
Chick-fil-A, not your basic fast food company either. Founded by a man, Truett Cathy, that believed the education of his employees was crucial to both his company's and his employee's futures. Employees earn scholarships by being part of the store teams. Also, Truett believed that all employees needed a day off to be with family and to attend Church if they wished. All Chick-fil-A stores are closed on Sunday, world wide.
ReplyDelete...and they have the best lemonaide in the world.